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After flipping through a few more photos, he comes to a stop, turning his phone to face me. The little girls on the screen look extremely happy, gazing at the camera pointed at them with sheer joy. Feeling a small pit of despair, I realize that a larger part of me is excited for him. This alone causes tears to pool in my eyes.
Mistaking it for sadness, Dmitri pulls his phone away. “Shit, I’m sorry, Nat. I didn’t think...”
Reaching out, I grab his wrist and pull the phone back over to me, gazing at the two gorgeous children that I can call my nieces. “These aren’t bad tears,” I promise. “How old are they?” I question, looking down at the identical blonde toddlers with Dmitri’s brown eyes. They look like a perfect mixture between Ansleigh and my brother, more like their mother if you ask me, and one of them missing one front tooth in the photo.
“Two,” He replies as he looks down at the picture, the smile of a proud dad written all over his face. “I remember when Sutton accidentally smacked into her trike. Harlow was so upset because she wanted to lose a tooth too,” he laughs, shaking his head with wetness pooling in his eyes.
Blinking away the tears I place my hand over his. “They’re beautiful. I can’t wait to finally meet them.”
“Soon.” His tone is hopeful. “I’ll fly them out as soon as it's safe. But I think Harlow is going to be a mini version of you! She’s mischievous and definitely not scared of getting hurt, yet she’s only two. Sutton is definitely more standoffish.” We both laugh at this because me as a child wasn’t something I wished for on their worst enemy, but I do suppose this is payback for disappearing.
The topic changes back and forth the next few hours, talking about anything and everything we can think about. He tells me about how he met Ansleigh, how scared he was when they found out she was pregnant, and how happy mom and dad were. The sadness that I wasn’t a part of that milestone still hurts, but the more we talk, the more it diminishes. When it was my turn to share, I told him all about my training, how Declan came back into my life, and about him paying men to stay away from me.
Dmitri chuckled at that. “Good for him. Someone needed to watch out for you in that area while I was indisposed.”
We both look up when the door opens, and Declan steps inside. He strolls over to the couch and bends down, kissing the top of my head. “Sorry I took so long,” he mumbles. His disposition is tired, like he’s completely worn out.
With the amount of sex we’ve had recently…
“It’s okay. Is everything alright? You seem a bit… tense,” I question, noticing his stiff posture. He gives Dmitri a glance but nods, his eyes giving away that fact that he’s lying straight through his teeth. So much for not keeping secrets. I decide to let it go, though. He’s been through enough, let alone him coming back to the safe house with me for an extended period of time.
“Everything is okay,mo ghrá,” he assures me. “I hate to pull you away from Dmitri, but we should head back to the safe house. It’s getting late, we all know how the darkness can be unsafe. Plus, we have a long weekend ahead of us.”
“I agree,” Dmitri agrees. He stands, straightening out his shirt, and I follow suit.
“I will come back,” I promise more for myself than for him. I quickly wrap him up in a tight hug, wishing I didn’t have to let go. “I missed you so much,” I whisper against his chest, tears stinging the back of my eyelids. The shock has finally settled and dissolved, leaving nothing but appreciation in its wake. The fact that he is alive, although for much longer than I originally knew, is still a blessing. I thought I had no one… at least I now have him.
Though, if anything were to happen to him… I don’t know what I would do. I can honestly say that I am not sure if I would survive his loss a second time.
After the men say their goodbyes, Declan and I head out to the car. He opens the door for me as always, and I thank him with a kiss on the cheek before climbing inside. Once he’s in and begins the drive, his hand immediately finds its normal resting place on my thigh. Gestures like this always bring a small smile to my face, even if we weren’t together for almost a year. This still feels so normal. I’m just hoping it can stay this way.
“How is Finn?” I ask, trying to make conversation. He’s been quiet the majority of the drive, his shoulders tenser than usual, and I’m starting to worry.
“He’s good. He’s just pouting because I, and I quote, ‘never let him do anything fun’, that’s all.” He shrugs it off and gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze. He doesn’t smile during this small quotation, but I know that he’s trying to process something else.
“Oh, yeah? ” I murmur, not pressing any further. I had a bit of hope that he would tell me, but I know better.
Pulling into the parking lot, Declan parks beside my car and we exit his Jaguar. Meeting him at the beginning of the path, our hands automatically link. He kisses my temple as we walk, causing a small smile to light up my face for the duration of the walk.
When he opens the door to the safe house, he allows me to enter first before following and shutting the door behind him, double locking it. He wasn’t wrong earlier that it’s getting late. It’s almost midnight. I lost track of time while visiting with Dmitri. I guess that just shows that time flies when you’re having fun. It also flies when you’re reunited with a brother you thought was six-feet under for five years, but it’s all the same.
Making my way to the bedroom, he follows close behind. I reach behind me in an attempt to unzip my jumpsuit, but my hands are promptly pushed away by large calloused ones. A smirk falls upon my lips as I glance over my shoulder at Declan. He sweeps my hair to one side before slowly unzipping the fabric, his fingers dancing down my back along with the biting sound of the zipper.
His movements are slow as he leans forward, his hands snaking up my body, running smooth lines to my shoulders where he places gentle kisses up to my neck. A small hum of appreciation falls from my lips as he slowly slides the sleeves of my jumpsuit down my arms, fingers brushing my overstimulated skin. He follows the fabric until it hits my hips where it puddles down. I step out of the newly gathered fabric and slip out of my heels, a slight moan of appreciation for the relief.
Turning to face him, our gazes meet. I reach up, slowly undoing each button on his shirt with ease. Mimicking his movements, I brush my thumbs along his skin as I push it off his shoulders. He lets it fall to the floor and takes my face in his hands before he crashes his lips to mine. This kiss is similar to the ones we’ve shared while here. They’re passionate, desperate, and overall saying what we are too scared to voice out loud. My hands work his belt buckle, his erect member already pressing against the zipper of his pants. I work to free it, completely removing his belt from the loops and the button on his pants is popped open. He releases a content sigh as the strain on his cock is finally eased. I smile into the kiss, fervent and wishing my life didn’t have to continue being so lonely after tonight.
When he’s finally undressed, he laces our fingers together, placing an affectionate kiss on my knuckles before leading me over to the bed. Pulling me down with him, he throws the covers over us as he holds me impossibly close, my breasts pressed to his chest. One arm is situated under my head, the other lies across my torso where he draws lazy shapes on my back. I examine the wrinkles in his eyebrows, the small dips on lips as they are poised downward in an unconscious frown. I watch the way light vanishes from his eyes when he zones out, but his love for me makes his oceans turn a more vibrant blue.
“I love you, Natalia,” he whispers. His features are plagued with worry, and I wonder what is really going on that he isn’t telling me. I don’t want to press him. I want him to come to me when he is ready, just like I did for him. The only difference is when it comes to life and death. That’s when real secrets need to be told.
“I love you too, Declan. Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask as I reach up and cup his cheek in my hand. He leans into my touch with a thoughtful sigh leaving his lips.
“It’s nothing. I’m just dreading tomorrow.” My hand slides to the back of his head, pulling his face closer.
“Then don’t think about it,” I whisper before closing the distance between us as our lips meet. Unlike our fervent kisses from before, this one is more tame but still holds just as much passion. It’s as if he’s pouring every ounce of love he has for me into this one kiss, like he’s afraid this will be the last time. I reciprocate the need to reiterate our love for one another, because we never know what the next day will look like.
His hand dances down my hip and to my thigh. Caressing it softly, he reaches around and tugs on the back of my knee, bringing my leg to rest on his hip, separating my lower half for his access. My body pressed against his, the heat of his skin wrapping around me. He slowly runs his fingertips back up my body, pinching gently on my flesh in an attempt to overstimulate me as he moves them south. He glides them along my pussy lips, my head falling back as he pauses at my entrance. Utilizing the opening I created, he kisses his way to my neck. A soft appreciative moan falls from my lips as he dips a finger inside slowly, stopping only when his knuckles hit my clit.
